System, Method, and Apparatus for Property Appraisals

Abstract

An appraisal system, method, and apparatus for property appraisals including a collector system, an appraisal database, an accounting system, and a scoring system. The collector system gathers data associated with a property and provides the data to the appraisal database. The collector system also reviews, edits, corrects, validates, and formats the data. The scoring system uses the collector system and appraisal database to access and analyze the data to calculate a score associated with the property. The score is calculated using one or more of a zone and market group associated with the property. The scoring system maps the score to one or more comparable sales of one or more other properties based on one or more of the zone and market group in order to generate an appraisal report for the property.

1 . An appraisal system comprising:
 a collector system configured to gather at least one of data, files, and one or more characteristics associated with a property; and   a scoring system coupled to the collector system and configured to analyze one or more characteristics of the property in order to calculate a score associated with the property,   wherein the one or more characteristics include at least one of view, location, site, condition, parking, quality, size, environment friendly features, amenities, basement, extras, and garage, and   wherein the score is calculated using one or more characteristics of the property and at least one of a zone and a market group associated with the property.   
     
     
         2 . The appraisal system of  claim 1  further comprising an appraisal database coupled to at least one of the collector system and the scoring system and configured to receive at least one of data and files from at least one of the collector system and the scoring system in order to generate an appraisal report associated with the property. 
     
     
         3 . The appraisal system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of:
 each characteristic of the property is rated with a numeric value; 
 each increment on a scale of numeric values is assigned a value; 
 each increment on the scale of numeric values that is assigned a value is gleaned from actual sales transactions of one or more properties that occur periodically; 
 one or more properties are automatically grouped into the market group based on similar characteristics; 
 each property has a value per square foot of floor area of the property; 
 each property has an opinion of influence value configured as the dollars applicable to each increment on the scale of numeric values of each characteristic; and 
 the score is calculated using one or more numeric values of one or more characteristics. 
 
     
     
         4 . The appraisal system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of:
 upon selling a property, the actual selling price is incorporated into an appraiser report card; 
 using the appraiser report card as a feedback loop into an appraisal database coupled to at least one of the collector system and the scoring system; 
 accessing at least one of a collector database of the collector system and an appraisal database coupled to at least one of the collector system and the scoring system in order to compare the data associated with the property to one or more properties; 
 comparing the actual selling price of the property with a numeric value of one or more characteristics of the property to adjust the score of the property; and 
 comparing the actual selling price of the property with a measured property value to adjust the score of the property. 
 
     
     
         5 . The appraisal system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of:
 the one or more characteristics associated with the property are analyzed and each characteristic is given a numeric value; 
 each numeric value for each characteristic is used to calculate the score associated with the property; and 
 each score, each market group, and one or more comparable sales for each market group are used to generate an appraisal report. 
 
     
     
         6 . The appraisal system of  claim 1  wherein the zone is defined by at least one of the market group, a community, a neighborhood, a city; one or more zip codes, a county, a state, a region, and a country. 
     
     
         7 . The appraisal system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of:
 the market group is defined by at least one of the zone, one or more attributes of the property, one or more comparable sales of other properties, a market name, a subdivision, a community, and a predetermined geographic boundary; 
 each property is labeled with a market name associated with a geographic area; 
 each market name outlines competing properties in the market group; and 
 one or more properties with similar attributes are in the same market group. 
 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising the steps of:
 using a collector system, collecting data related to a first property;   using the collector system, creating at least one of a zone and a market group for the first property, wherein the market group includes a plurality of properties;   using a scoring system, generating a score associated with the first property based on the data;   wherein the scoring system calculates the score for the first property within the market group, and   wherein the scoring system generates a value trend line for the market group by calculating one or more benchmarks for the plurality of properties in the market group.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising collecting the data in at least one of text, image, audio, and video files. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising at least one of:
 one or more of the files are imported into an appraisal database; 
 address data fields associated with the files are tagged in the appraisal database; 
 integrating the files into the appraisal database; and 
 allowing access to the files in the appraisal database in order to generate an appraisal report. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising at least one of:
 performing quality control of the data; 
 notifying an appraiser or another entity if there is a quality control error associated with the data; 
 at least one of formatting and validating the data; 
 updating an appraisal value of the first property on a timely basis including at least one of daily, monthly, quarterly, and annually; and 
 allowing access to the data in an appraisal database in order to generate an appraisal report. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising at least one of:
 generating an appraisal report for the first property based on at least one of the score, the zone, the market groups; 
 wherein the appraisal report includes at least one of an exterior based appraisal, an interior based-appraisal, and a special request appraisal; and 
 notifying an appraiser to perform a property or site inspection of the property based on the appraisal report. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising at least one of:
 accessing the collector system to at least one of add, edit, review, and verify data including photographs associated with the property; 
 at least one of viewing, reviewing, adding, editing, and verifying property data including photographs via a portable communication device; and 
 accessing the collector system to at least one of add, edit, review, and verify an appraisal report associated with the property. 
 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a host server for accepting and processing data in connection with a property;   an appraisal database in communication with the host server for collecting data on the property and using a collector system of the host server to gather at least one of data, files, and one or more characteristics associated with a property; and   a scoring system in communication with at least one of the host server, the collector system, and the appraisal database configured to analyze one or more characteristics of the property in order to calculate a score associated with the property,   wherein the one or more characteristics include at least one of view, location, site, condition, parking, quality, size, environment friendly features, amenities, basement, extras, and garage, and   wherein the score is calculated using one or more characteristics of the property and at least one of a zone and a market group associated with the property.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein at least one of:
 each characteristic of the property is rated with a numeric value; 
 each increment on a scale of numeric values is assigned a value; 
 each increment on the scale of numeric values that is assigned a value is gleaned from actual sales transactions of one or more properties that occur periodically; 
 one or more properties are automatically grouped into the market group based on similar characteristics; 
 each property has a value per square foot of floor area of the property; 
 each property has an opinion of influence value configured as the dollars applicable to each increment on the scale of numeric values of each characteristic; and 
 the score is calculated using one or more numeric values of one or more characteristics. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein at least one of:
 upon selling a property, the actual selling price is incorporated into an appraiser report card; and 
 using the appraiser report card as a feedback loop into an appraisal database coupled to at least one of the collector system and the scoring system. 
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein at least one of:
 the one or more characteristics associated with the property are analyzed and each characteristic is given a numeric value; and 
 each numeric value for each characteristic is used to calculate the score associated with the property. 
 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14  wherein at least one of:
 accessing at least one of a collector database of the collector system and an appraisal database coupled to at least one of the collector system and the scoring system in order to compare the data associated with the property to one or more properties; 
 comparing the actual selling price of the property with a numeric value of one or more characteristics of the property to adjust the score of the property; 
 comparing the actual selling price of the property with a measured property value to adjust the score of the property and 
 each score, each market group, and one or more comparable sales for each market group are used to generate an appraisal report. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the zone is defined by at least one of the market group, a community, a neighborhood, a city; one or more zip codes, a county, a state, a region, and a country. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14  wherein at least one of:
 the market group is defined by at least one of the zone, one or more attributes of the property, one or more comparable sales of other properties, a market name, a subdivision, a community, and a predetermined geographic boundary; 
 each property is labeled with a market name associated with a geographic area; 
 each market name outlines competing properties in the market group; and 
 one or more properties with similar attributes are in the same market group.